Rocket Misses Jerusalem, Lands in West Bank

A rocket was fired at Jerusalem on Tuesday, missing the holy city and landing in the near-by West Bank, police said, adding that there were no casualties or damage.

Islamist militant group Hamas said it had fired the missile out of the Gaza Strip in response to continued Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian territory.

It was the second time a rocket has been launched toward Jerusalem since Israel’s Gaza offensive began last Wednesday, with sirens sounding around the city, sending pedestrians running for cover.

“The rocket landed in the West Bank. No damage or casualties,” a police spokesman said, adding that it was one of 95 rockets launched into Israel on Wednesday. Thirty of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.

Hamas’s armed wing said it had fired a Qassam M75 rocket. “If you go back to carrying out attacks, we will go back to responding,” a statement said

Since the start of the conflagration, hundreds of missiles have been launched deep into Israel. Israel has warned it will broaden its offensive in the Gaza Strip if Palestinian militants do not stop their rocket fire.